Meet the artists participating in Out of Bounds, 2 – 3 April 2022.

Aimee Schollum
Aimee is a Naarm/Melbourne based, New Zealand born dancer, choreographer and graphic designer. She graduated with a Bachelor of Art and Design (Honours AUT 2010), a Diploma of Dance (2015), was a member of TrIPP (Transit International Professional Pathway 2018) mentored by Israel Aloni and has been a member of the 2019/20 Dancehouse Emerging Choreographers Program. Choreographic credits include Sonos winner Best Dance/Physical Theatre (2018 Melbourne Fringe), Eyes Wide Open (2019 Melbourne Fringe) and MOTH (2021 Dancehouse). Most recently she performed in Stephanie Lake Company Colossus (Melbourne International Arts Festival 2019), Chunky Move & Contact Gonzo ChoreoLab performance at NGV (2020) and was a rehearsal director for Simulcast Bendigo by Chunky Move (2019). Alongside her arts practice Aimee is an experienced dance, Barre and RYT500 Ashtanga Yoga teacher.

Alec Katsourakis
Alec Katsourakis is an emerging choreographer and dancer based in Naarm, Melb AUS. He has worked both in Australia and New Zealand and currently co-directs Inplay Dance Collective, a collective of artists that highlight the importance of play. Inplays work spans video, performance, writing, photography, circus and site specific practice. He is currently embarking on a long-term residency at Melbournes Living Museum of the West.

Arabella Frahn-Starkie
Arabella is an artist focusing on dance, choreography, and documentation. She is currently completing her honours at the Victorian College of the Arts, where she received a Bachelor of Fine Arts (Contemporary Dance) in 2016. Arabella has worked with a range of artists across dance, visual art, music and film. She has performed in and made works for theatres, galleries, clubs, pubs, parks, auditoriums, stairwells, studios and tiny shop windows. She is driven to use the body in her work, as she believes that at the junction of the artwork, audience and artist, is a sentient and volatile body.

Caitlin Dear
Caitlin Dear is a choreographer working with dance, live art and practice-based research. She presents across theatre, gallery, public, community and academic settings. Working with dance, text and sound she creates sensorially and intellectually engaging experiences, whether it be a seated performance or an outdoor adventure. Her work prioritises audience participation, incorporating immersive or interactive elements to bring people into the inquiries of her projects. Her works engender clinical wonder and focused multiplicity, encouraging audiences to ponder philosophical problems from an embodied perspective with a scientific sensibility. With Rebecca Jensen, Caitlin co-curates two arts programs, On The Table and The Green Bee, at Dancehouse.

Carmen Yih
Carmen Yih is a Chinese-Australian emerging choreographer currently studying a BFA (Dance) at the University of Melbourne’s VCA. Originally trained in ballet, she fell in love with the infinite opportunities for exploration within contemporary dance. She has participated in various choreographic competitions including Form Dance’s Sharp Short Dance Competition and the Cecchetti Choreographic Competition. Carmen has also performed as part of the Museum of Contemporary Art’s Genext program and is currently an active committee member, choreographer, and teacher for Flare Dance Ensemble – a university street and stage dance society.

Claire Leske & Rebecca Jensen
Claire Leske is a Melbourne based performer and collaborator from Wagga Wagga NSW. A graduate from the Victorian College of the Arts in 2014, Claire has worked with Rebecca Jensen and Sarah Aiken (What Am I Supposed To Do? (WAISTD 2019), Underworld (2017) and Deep Soulful Sweats), Jo Lloyd (CUTOUT and Garden Dance), Prue Lang (ZAURAK – performed with the Michael Douglas Collective, ALTO AIR – inside the work of Belle Bassin), Sarah Aiken (Tools for Personal Expansion), Shelley Lasica (Behaviour part 7), Rebecca Jensen (Deep Sea Dances), Brianna Kell (Observation). Claire was a collaborator for the Artist in Your Backyard Program (Sarah Aiken – Dancehouse) and is a recipient of the Ian Potter Cultural Trust and the NSW Young Regional Artist Scholarship. Claire is the initiator of Dance Is; a ‘what’s on’ website for contemporary dance in Melbourne.

Rebecca Jensen is a dancer, choreographer and teacher, inspired by the equally speculative and practical forces of dance practice. Notable works include ‘Deep Sea Dances’, Dance Massive 2017, ‘Explorer’ Kier Choreographic Award 2016, ‘Sinkhole’ with Jessie Gall and Arini Byng 2018 – current. In collaboration with Sarah Aiken – ‘What Am I Supposed To Do?’ (WAISTD) Art Centre Melbourne 2019, ‘OVERWORLD’ 2014, ‘Underworld’ 2017 and ongoing participatory project ‘Deep Soulful Sweats’. Rebecca has a long-standing relationship working with choreographer Jo Lloyd. She is a danceWEB scholar 2015, and a recipient of the Cité Internationale des Arts, Paris residency supported by the Australia Council for the Arts.

Deanne Butterworth
Deanne is a highly respected performer, choreographer, and teacher. Melbourne based for 25 years she has shown work across many platforms including, Next Wave Festival, NGV, Dancehouse, Lucy Guerin Inc., Melbourne Fringe, Dance New Amsterdam (NYC), Hong Kong (with Jo Lloyd), WestSpace, Bus Gallery, Ian Potter Museum, Carriageworks, Temperance Hall, MONAFOMA and more. Her work traverses public and private spheres to include incidental performances in the everyday and the role of the spectator. Her work has been situated in galleries, theatres, museums, outdoors, and created for film.

Gabriella Imrichova
Gabriella Imrichova is a 2019 graduate of the VCA (Theatre) and a current participant in Dancehouse’s Emerging Choreographers Program for 2022. Their practice situates around developing failing devices (“stumbles”) for live performance.”

Gabrielle Leah New with Helen Smith, Karen Berger & Norm Skipp
Gabrielle Leah New is a multi-arts practitioner with an expanded performance practice in which she explores themes of identity, relationship to self, other and place, transformation and the space between internal and external worlds, Informed by her Butoh, Bodyweather and Improvisation practices and work as a therapist, creating surreal, otherworldly, psychological landscapes. Gaby has a Masters of Fine Art from RMIT, a Graduate Certificate in Art and Community Engagement from VCA and a Diploma of Theatre Arts from VU. She was a company member of MAU Dance Theatre, NZ and a directing intern with Zen Zen Zo Physical Theatre and works with the Environmental Performance Agency. Gaby has been invited to perform and make work in Poland, New Caledonia, Canada, New Zealand, India, Sri Lanka The UK and Norway and regularly presents her work in Australia. She is excited to be collaborating with Helen Smith and Karen Berger on Reclaim the Crone, a work which questions perceptions of older women in our society.

Hayley Roe
Hayley Roe is an emerging dance artist and creative, currently based in Naarm/Melbourne. Since graduating from the Victorian College of the Arts (VCA) in 2019 she has been investigating how her many interests can come together within her artistic practice. Amongst many performances with VCA, Hayley has performed professionally in Stephanie Lake’s Colossus (2018, 2019), and a remount of Gertrud Bodenwieser’s 1924 work Demon Machine (2017), facilitated by Carol Brown and NGV Australia. Hayley’s most notable choreographic projects have been Implicit Dependency (2019) presented as part of the Dance On season at VCA, and Fold (2019) presented at Beyond the Valley festival.

Iris Elgar
Iris Elgar is a queer dance artist based in Naarm/Melbourne. They are currently studying at the Victorian College of the Arts, completing a BFA in Dance. This has fostered an environment where they are indulging their keenness for interdisciplinary dance, and bringing theatricality, queerness and introspection to their work. Some performances they have been involved in include Women at Work by Iris Elgar (Dance Architect, 2018), Dance Epidemic (at Royal Adelaide Hospital for Panpapanpalya, 2018) and Rise by Brianna Kell and Daniel Riley (2020).

Jacqui Maida
Jacqui has trained in dance for eighteen years. She has experience in contemporary, ballet and character, and prides herself in teaching and choreography. Recently she completed her Diploma in Elite Dance Performance (Contemporary) and Cert IV in Dance Teaching and Management, and has seven years of professional teaching experience educating a wide range of ages. She made her professional debut in I Wish I Was A Droid in the Melbourne Fringe Festival (2020), performed at Beyond the Valley music festival (2019), and has danced alongside Chunky Move company members with their NGV Triennial season (2018).

Jayden Hall & Melissa Yvonne Pham
Jayden Wall is an Australian based performing artist who is nationally recognised for his passion, versatility and welcoming nature. Jayden initially studied dance at Patrick Studios Australia, while following those 2 years Jayden really found an interest in Contemporary Dance and the huge array of techniques that offer themselves within the culture. Jayden also fell in love with the groove and footwork of House Dance, training under the direction of Daisuke Benson. In 2019/20 Jayden worked and collaborated in an array of projects including The Dream Dance Company’s Goddess.

John Utans
John Utans is an Australian dancer, choreographer and teacher whose creative practice embraces a diverse range of disciplines and interests. He has performed with and created work for numerous leading Australian and international artists, companies and independent projects and has also taught extensively at leading tertiary intuitions in Australia and East Asia. His choreographic works have been performed throughout Australia, Europe, USA and Asia. His Performance work is continually evolving, currently exploring notions of the body’s expression and experience of time

Kady Mansour
Kady is an emerging freelance dancer and choreographer based in Melbourne. Kady was a member of ilDance’s junior company ilYoung based in Sweden in 2019. She has also performed in Stephanie Lake’s Colossus and Israel Aloni’s Ripe. Kady’s works include CNUT, Tapua, You want the disco? We bring the disco and Hot Glue Buns. Her works have also featured at Strawberry Fields Festival and Meredith Music Festival, alongside CC:DISCO! and Gordon Koang. Kady is currently a part of Dance House’s Emerging Choreographers Program. In 2021 Kady developed Hot Glueshop, as part of the Moreland City Council’s Festival Development Program.

Rachel Coulson
Rachel is a Naarm-based dance artist and facilitator. Rachel has performed in works by Antony Hamilton (Yung Lung, Nyx, Blood & Bone), Stephanie Lake and Robin Fox (Manifesto, A Giant Theremin), Alisdair Macindoe (Reference Material), Melanie Lane (Death Peak), Shelley Lasica (Grace Note #5), and Rebecca Jensen and Sarah Aiken (Overworld). Rachel completed her dance training at Newtown High School of the Performing Arts and The Victorian College of the Arts.

Sarah Kosoof & Caitlin Mewett
Sarah is studying a BFA in Dance at The Victorian College of Arts. During this time she has performed Anna Smith’s The Object is The Sound (2019), Phillip Adams’ Origami: Refold (2020), Alice Dixon and Caroline Meaden’s WOW (2020), and Student Interdisciplinary Project Ten Degrees (2021). This year she has participated in the NGV Triennial Extra performing in Shinjita Roy’s Spotlight on Shadows as well as Amelia O’leary’s No correct Way and Emily Keane’s Impede for MUDFEST 2021. Currently Sarah is in graduate work developments with Daniel Riley and Amrita Hepi. She looks forward to creating across a range of art forms that allows her to work collaboratively with like-minded individuals who value a variety of artistic voices and disciplines.

Caitlin is currently in her final year at The Victorian Arts College studying a BFA in Dance. During her time at VCA she has performed Anna Smith’s The Object is The Sound (2019), remount of Meryl Tankards Nuti (2020), Alice Dixon and Caroline Meaden’s WOW (2020), and Student Interdisciplinary Project Ten Degrees (2021). In 2021 Caitlin performed at The National Gallery of Victoria Triennial EXTRA season, in Lucent by Naree Vachananda in Cerith Wyn Evans’ exhibition C=O=D=A. She is currently in graduate work developments with Daniel Riley and Amrita Hepi. She has also participated in various Independent Projects that have broadened her own practice and ignited a desire to keep investigating multi-model art.

Sarah Saxon
Sarah Saxon is an emerging dance maker and performer from Naarm/ Melbourne, Australia. She is a 2020 Victorian College of the Arts’ (University of Melbourne) graduate and is currently completing her Bachelor of Fine Arts (Honours). During her studies Sarah worked with choreographers Prue Lang, Rebecca Jensen, Brianna Kell, Linda Sastradipradja and Anouk van Dijk. In 2019 she attended choreographic workshops in Paris & Istres, France. Her previous choreographic works reflect the beginnings of her research around human relationship to land, culture, and subconscious. Sarah is developing a site-conditioned dance practice inspired by her research into the physical and remembered relationships between land, the individual, and culture.

Sarscha Lewis
Sarscha is an emerging choreographer and movement director based in Melbourne/Naarm, currently in her final year studying a Bachelor of Fine Arts (Dance) at the Victorian College of the Arts. Sarscha’s main creative interest involves collaborating with interdisciplinary artists, creating immersive movement based works. During her time at VCA, Sarscha has worked with Anna Smith in The Object is the Sound (2019), Caroline Meaden and Alice Dixon’s WOW (2020) and Phillip Adam’s remounting of Origami (2020). She is currently working on a live movement gallery project, which will be premiered at the Red Gallery in North Fitzroy later this year.

Siobhan McKenna
Siobhan McKenna is a Narrm/Melbourne based dance artist. Siobhan graduated from the Victorian College of the Arts in 2016 with a Bachelor of Fine Arts in Dance. She has since presented her award-winning choreography internationally as well as in key Australian festivals such as Dance Massive, and developed ongoing relationships with Melbourne companies such as Temperance Hall, Lucy Guerin Inc., Dancehouse and Chamber Made. Siobhan’s work Utterance received the ‘Best Dance Award’ and ‘Temperance Hall Award’ in the 2017 Melbourne Fringe Festival and received a nomination for the ‘Shirley McKechnie Award for Choreography’ in the 2019 Green Room Awards for its presentation in Dance Massive Festival at Dancehouse.
www.siobhanmckenna.dance

Thomas Woodman
Thomas Woodman is a Melbourne/Naarm-based dancer and choreographer, who completed a BFA with Honours at the Victorian College of the Arts (2019). As a performer, he has worked with Antony Hamilton, Russell Dumas, Shian Law, Hermann Nitsch and Jo Lloyd. Thomas’s choreographic work is often concerned with multiplicity, human and non-human exchange, and the function of imagination. He has presented The Water Disappears Eventually (2019) and Rain (2017) at Melbourne Fringe Festival, and recently began developing we fly together, through Public Art Melbourne – Test Sites Online (2020).

Tim Darbyshire
Tim Darbyshire creates expansive choreography and performances, which draw from visual, aural, spatial and tactile fields, whilst maintaining the body as a fulcrum. He studied Dance at Queensland University of Technology (2003), attended DanceWEB scholarship program (2006 and 2009), completed Formation d’artiste Chorégraphique at Centre National de Danse Contemporaine (France 2006-2007) and obtained a Masters in Performing Arts from Iceland University of the Arts (2018). He has presented his work in a range of contexts including Dance Massive (AU), Théâtre de la Cité Internationale (FR), Dansenhus (NO), Teatro São João (PT), Noorderzon Festival (NL), Tanzhaus Zürich (CH) and Reykjavík Dance Festival/Everybody’s Spectacular (IS).
www.timdarbyshirestudio.com

William McBride
William McBride is a performance maker and writer working across dance, theatre, contemporary performance and live-art.He works in regular collaboration with Alice Dixon and Caroline Meaden as ‘Alice Will Caroline,’ creating and performing new dance theatre, including: Doors Shut; Lady Example; Trilogy of the Desert: Mirage by William McBride; Let’s Go Up Here; Blowin’ Up; Fallen’ O’er; and This is What’s Happening. Additional performance credits include: Laceship (Phillip Adams and Walter Dundervill, Temperance Hall for Midsumma 2021), Prelude (Adams and Dundervill, MIFF); and The Bachelor (La Mama).